Sports minister briefs Parliament on tartan-track construction

The Minister of Youth and Sports, Edward Osei-Kwaku on Wednesday said a total estimate of ?41bn for the construction of the tartan tracks at the Accra and Kumasi Sports stadia have been forwarded to the Ministry of Finance for consideration.

He said, while in Manchester for the Commonwealth Games he requested the assistance of some specialists to visit Ghana and assess the cost of constructing new tartan tracks and the team have so far inspected the Kumasi, Accra, El-Wak stadia as well as the playing fields at the national Sports College, Winneba.

Osei-Kwaku said this when Mr Joseph Tsatsu Agbenu, NDC- Afram Plains North asked what effort the ministry was making to source funds for repairing the tartan tracks at the Kumasi Sports stadium and transforming it into a modern athletics Complex as originally proposed.

Osei-Kwaku said the normal life span of tartan tracks was between eight to ten years. The Kumasi and Accra Sports Stadia were laid about 24 years ago, which should have been re-surfaced at least twice by now. He said in view of this the tracks at both stadia have deteriorated to the extent that they now need to be totally reconstructed.

The estimated cost of the reconstruction work which comprises feasibility studies, design, drainage, making electronic and measuring devices are approximately one million dollars.

Osei-Kwaku said over the past decade the ministry has been making provisions in its annual budget for the reconstruction of the tartan tracks but owing to budgetary constraints, the project has not taken place.

Abuga Pele, NDC-Chiana-Paga asked what plans the ministry has to source for other funds to support other sports disciplines and the Minister said the ministry was in dire need of funds to undertake its obligations.

Osei-Kwaku said the ministry needs not less than ?250bn for youth as well as sports development. A Youth development fund is to be formed to assist the youth go into various training so as to make them go into useful ventures instead of doing menial jobs for a living.

John Mahama, NDC- Bole asked whether it was not a matter of encouraging sole sourcing of constructing the tartan tracks and whether it was not also against the Zero Tolerance for Corruption.

The Minister said there were other companies who have shown interest in undertaking the reconstruction of the tartan tracks. Alhaji Mustapha Ali Idris, NPP Gukpegu/Sabonjida asked what has brought the interest in Basketball in the North and the Minister said it was because the people there have the physique, height and the interest in the game and promised to support the sole financier of basketball in the North, Dr Baba Sampana to continue with his good works.